Thread: Advice on Planer/Thicknessers

Originally Posted by dobby

Have recently convinced the bride that a Planer/Thicknesser combo would be a good thing to have. Just after some advice re what type to get. Have been looking at the Hafco T-260, the Schecapps?? 260 and one from Carbatec, being a woodfast model. Am looking to dress and size hardwood including ironbark, redgum and cypress pine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction as to what would be the best. Have limited room in shed so need combination machine and also limited funds. also does anyone know where I can source a good second hand machine. Ebay doesn't seem to offer much and used machines seem to be as rare as hens teeth.

I have just bee down that path. Initially, I was going to get separate machines, and went out to Fiora (H&F agent in Perth) to buy.a T-330. Not in stock, not for two months.

Hmm.

I dropped in on Timbercon and their equivalent machine is very equivalent. Also on the floor was an ML-292 (snd the equivalent machine from Carbatec). There's a thread here been running four! years on that, with several problems and their resolution. Generally, once those problems are fixed, the owners have been very happy with them. Timbercon also has an ML-293, a larger version of it.

I wasn't sure I wanted to go down that path.

I knew of the T-260, but thought that if the dearer machine was problematic, I din't really want to take a chance on a cheaper one.
In the course of googling, I found a few people not too happy with their Scheppach machines (and I think the HMS 2600ci was one of those machines), so it didn't really make the short list either.

I dithered and dithered, and eventually went over town to Carbatec. There, I admired their separate machines, their combination machines and eventually it came down to a choice between a WPT-310 12" machine, and separate thicknesser and jointer. The AWE106PT is a version of the ML-292.

My decision was helped by the preferred 15" thicknesser's being on special at the time.

Before you go much further, you should decide how you're going to buy your timber and what sizes will be available. If you might buy a lot of timber 250 wide, you need the ability to joint it. The jointer I bought cannot do that, but the Woodfast combo I looked at can. OTOH I can thickness stock up to 381 wide.

Oh, better get a dusty too. Some of these machines shouldn't be operated without one. Many reckon a 1HP dusty struggles with these machines and recommend 2HP. I chose the HAFCO Woodmaster DC-3.

I have a Hafco TS(I think) 381 I got second hand (although I don't think it had ever been used) I put miles of slabs through it and it doesn't miss a beat I love it.

i also dithered on this choice for ages
have restricted room so thought would get combo but the info i kept getting from combo owners was they eventually left them as jointer and got a thicknesser so thats what i did got an old 12 inch jointer made in the 50's solid machine put it on wheels and a triton 15inch planer/moulder also on wheels
setup works very well just a matter of rolling out and using

I recently bought the ML-292 machine from Timbecon which is in fact identical to the Carbatec machine. There was a long thread on this machine and I can say that I think while the earlier machines may indeed have had issues , I think there may also have been some operator learning to be had. For example, there were complaints about the difficulty in adjusting the in-feed table, however this only happens if the locking lever is in the locked position (the manual doesn't tell you this).

Although I am happy with it - its excellent value for money and gives great results, my favourite would be the Woodfast. It has 12" capacity, 3HP motor , big fence - It was also the favourite of "Australian Wood Review"

I should add - AWR bagged the Hafco T-260 - they thought the quality was suspect

Originally Posted by TP1

I recently bought the ML-292 machine from Timbecon which is in fact identical to the Carbatec machine. There was a long thread on this machine and I can say that I think while the earlier machines may indeed have had issues , I think there may also have been some operator learning to be had. For example, there were complaints about the difficulty in adjusting the in-feed table, however this only happens if the locking lever is in the locked position (the manual doesn't tell you this).

I was more worried about the fence, the chain, the bearings, the tyre, all of which were concerns raised by users, and which were fixed by one means or another. Sometimes, following lengthy delays.

There's a better manual available online, I think from Axminster whose model number is very like Carbatec's. The thread that enumerates these problems also contains a link to the manual.

Probably, all those problems are fixed in current production models.

TP1, check your chain. The link that joins the ends used to be put on the wrong way round, and that was given as the possible reason it came adrift. The thread explains that too.

About a year ago I was interested in the Woodfast combo as space was an issue (woodshop in a garage). I examined it and the Jet at the Woodshow, and came away thinking that they were barely adequate in construction. The fences, for example, were aluminium extrusions and much of the remaionder is sheet metal. The Jet is a better design than the Woodfast, but also $1K dearer. In the end I decided to go for separates and bought the cast iron (battleship) Carbatec 8" jointer. I already had a 12 1/2" Delta thicknesser (purchased 6 months before - again a space issue. The 15" looks a really solid machine).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by Johncs

TP1, check your chain. The link that joins the ends used to be put on the wrong way round, and that was given as the possible reason it came adrift. The thread explains that too.

Thanks, I will do that this weekend. So far so good , however. ( Touch wood!)

BTW, check out page 2 of the manual in the following link. This unit, like the Carbatec is called the AW 106PT, however the manual, under the certificate of conformity identifies the machine as an ML-292. Not that there was any doubt, but I think we can say that they are "officially" the same.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/downloads...al_aw106pt.pdf